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The United Nations evacuated 150 refugees from a detention center in Tripoli, following violent clashes for control of the Libyan capital that resulted in the postponement of a peace conference scheduled for next week.
In recent days, the forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar, renegotiated, have advanced the city, the base of the country's government supported internationally.
At least 47 people, including nine civilians, have been killed in the fighting since launching the offensive on Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.
The situation worsensin the suburbs of Tripoli threatens to further destabilize Libya and raised fears that it will lead to an urban war inside the capital, defended by local militias and other groups, including relentless forces in Libya. the city of Misrata.
As fighting rages on, human rights groups and humanitarian organizations have also expressed deep concern at the plight of thousands of refugees and migrants held in detention centers in Tripoli, including in conflict zones in operation.
In a statement Tuesday, the UN refugee agency said thatn light of current insecurity in the Libyan capital … [it] transferred more than 150 refugees from the detention center of Ain Zara south of Tripoli ".
He noted that the detention center had been "hit by violent clashes in recent days" and added that the refugees were now in a nearby "security zone".
S addressing Al Jazeera Friday, A refugee detained in Ain Zara detention center said that most of the guards who were guarding them were gone and that the food was exhausted.
Abandoned Conference
This oil-rich country, boiling since the sacking of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, backed by NATO in 2011, has two rival governments: a world-renowned government based in Tripoli and led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, and an administration. based in the eastern city of Tobruk, which is allied with Haftar.
The UN had planned a three-day conference on April 14 in Ghadames town, in the south-west of the country, to discuss a constitutional framework for the elections in order to end the crisis that has been raging for eight years in this country of North Africa.
But on Tuesday, the UN envoy for Libya announced Tuesday the postponement of the summit.
"We can not ask people to participate in the conference when shooting guns and air strikes," said Ghbadan Salame. to organize the event as soon as possible … the day the conditions for its success are badured ".
His statement was made a day after the only airport in Tripoli was hit during an air raid, which resulted in the temporary suspension of services.
Mahmoud Abdelwahed, of the Al Jazeera agency, said that "the civil aviation authorities have only taken back flights to Mitiga airport, but that the flights are not yet allowed ".
"The situation is still very tense with attacks and counter-attacks," he added.
International calls for a ceasefire
The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold closed – door emergency sessions on the crisis in camera on Wednesday.
The United States, the European Union, the UN and the G7 have called for a ceasefire, a return to the UN peace plan and the end of the push Haftar military.
In addition, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, reiterated these calls and urged both sides to refrain from further escalation.
"The Libyan people have long been caught between many warring parties, some of the most vulnerable people suffering some of the most serious violations of their human rights," Bachelet said in a statement released on Tuesday.
"I appeal to all parties to come together to avoid further senseless violence and bloodshed," she added.
In addition to the 47 people killed, at least 181 people have been injured in recent days, the WHO added.
According to the latest statistics from the UN, at least 3,400 people have been displaced by the fighting.
In the center of Tripoli Tuesday, while there was no sign of vehicles or military personnel on the streets Tuesday, residents were worried about the possibility of violence.
"War is war: I'm not afraid of the Libyan national army, but destructions that will never be rebuilt," said Mohamed Salem al Sharwe, a taxi driver in Tripoli, at the airport. 39 Reuters news agency.
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